THE BANQUET OF LIFE
SUNDAY, EIGHTEENTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME Isa 55:1-3; Ps 145:8-9,15-18; Rom 8:35,37-39; Mt 14:13-21 Our Invitation to the Banquet of God God, in his infinite love and compassion, never ceases to invite us to the banquet of life, for which he created us. The whole creation bears the trace of the divine invitation to man. The purpose of creation is to lead us gradually to God’s presence in the beatific vision. Sin disfigured creation and made it unable to attract and lead us to God. The disfigurement is more in us than in the creation. Sin corrupted the unrestricted desire within us to for God by directing it to creatures. The fact that creatures can never satisfy our deepest desire leaves us hollow, hungry, and thirsty for eternity. This is exactly what hell is like. Hell arises from our failure to attend the divine banquet prepared for us for all eternity. The work of the devil, the ancient serpent or dragon, who lost his place in heaven due to his pride and disobedience, is to co...